United Kingdom surges in golf as the rankings in Tennis plummet to a new low after Wimbledon crash
With Rory McIlroy’s massive victory at the US Open at Congressional Country Club last week, United Kingdom has now reached the zenith of the sport, having two of her sturdy sons at the top of the world rankings while a relatively junior McIlroy grabs the
coveted second major title of the season.
The British and American rivalry in the sport traces its roots back to the earlier 1900’s, where the Americans were charging in to challenge the long established British dominance on the sport. While the common Englishmen are rejoicing the new achieved status
in golf, many of the critics are concerned with UK’s poor health in Tennis as the Brits post an early exit at this year’s Wimbledon.
The reasons cited behind the consecutive failures of English players in Tennis, reaches out to bad facilities, poor coaching, expensive membership fees, inadequate funding, and deteriorating mental health. The contemporary English Tennis players are trying
to replicate the era of Fred Perry, who dominated the sport some 75 years ago.
Most of the ardent supporters of Tennis blame the overwhelming cost of playing, which is hindering in the development of sport. But it also does not go without saying that UK’s two recent and most successful golfers Tim Henman and Andy Murray as well as
Perry, all come from middle-class families and have forged their way with sheer perseverance.
"I don't think anyone understands how expensive and time consuming it is to bring someone up through British tennis," Murray says. "I can understand why a lot of families feel they can't afford it."
Playing golf, however, is not any cheaper than it may sound. Gerry McIlroy worked for a staggering 100 hours a week, pulling in two odd-hour jobs to see his son make a career in the sport. Rory’s mother Rosie did the night shift in a local factory.
"I'm a working class man," Gerry McIlroy declared on the day of his son's US Open triumph.
There have been other reasons which logically define the dearth of quality players in Tennis. An 18-hole round of golf at any municipality operated golf course is normally from £10-20, but while a golfer plays against the course, a Tennis player needs competitive
opponent every second day in order to improve his skills in the sport.
In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the sport is relatively cheaper than in many parts of England. McIlroy’s home course, the Holywood Golf Club in Co Down has a junior membership fee of £20 a month and many of the golf clubs have a massive pool of
junior players which move over to join the ranks of professional golfers on the international arena.
While Brits have a long way to go in Tennis, they have still have the glorious Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell on the top of the Official World Golf Rankings to cherish the present era of British dominance in golf.
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